Walking Disaster
by BrittFan
Summary: They were two runaways left with no one to guide them…until they find each other. Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez live among the no name streets of NYC, striving to live with nothing but each other and the band mates. Can they forget the pain? Or not?


**Walking Disaster**

**They were two runaways left with no one to guide them…until they find each other. Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez live among the no name streets of New York City, striving to live with nothing but each other and the band mates. Can they make it, or are they just walking disasters?**

Chapter One

As Gabriella Montez pushed up her window, the cool night's air hit her with a powerful force. She threw her bag out first and then started scaling down the fence pushed against the house. Her fingers were numb as the cold, dense air wrapped around them. And it hurt even more because of the rough patches of skin layering over her fingers. When her feet touched the ground, she bent to pick up her bag before sprinting off. She had done this so many times, succeeding every time. But the only difference was that she had always come back. This time she wasn't going to.

She had a plan, though. She had taken the two thousand dollars out of the cookie jar in the kitchen and that should be enough for her until she found a job and a decent place to live. She refused to live with them anymore.

Gabriella pulled the heavy bag over her shoulders and slowly began to slow into a walk. Her eyes scanned the familiar, but unfamiliar streets of New York. She had walked down these streets so many times, but never took action to remember them. She never took action to remember anything, really. Because as soon as she grasped onto it, they'd slip right out of her adolescent fingers.

As she walked down the pavement, people threw her curious glances. Obviously they had never seen her before and that was an obvious since she'd never think to leave the safeness of her home at twelve in the morning. She'd never think of it. Even though where she lived not too many crimes were committed, but there was some every month.

Music slowly drifted to her ear and Gabriella automatically followed the waves of music. It was so lively, so powerful, so outspoken. Life summed up into a whole poem that is pieced into lyrics and strummed together into music. Gabriella stopped at a club. It was for people twenty-one and older. Gabriella peered from side to side at everyone before stepping behind someone. She had to get into this place and see who was singing.

When her turn came up, the bouncer looked her up and down then thrusted a meaty hand towards her. "ID, please."

"Oh, of course," Gabriella said, smiling. She pulled her wallet from her bag and plucked up a picture of her dead dog, Friday. She was just about to show it to the bouncer, but it fell. "Oh, sorry," she apologized quickly. The bouncer sighed and leaned to pick it up. Before he could stand back up though, Gabriella was already dashing around him and into the club. She grinned divisively when she heard him calling her back, but instead she advanced forward into the sweaty club. She knew he wouldn't come chasing after her. He'd have to leave his station and people could barge in here. People a bit older than her, maybe nineteen or twenty were grinding vehemently against each other. They must've used fake I.D's. Some were pushed against the wall, sucking each other's faces off and some were on the seats, basically dry-humping. But Gabriella's eyes were trained on the band stationed on the stage, singing their hearts out. They were singing a different song from when she first heard, but it was still awesome. "_There you go, you're always so right._ _It's all a big show, it's all about you. You think you know what everyone needs. You always take time to criticize me!_" People were jumping and bobbing their heads to the music. Gabriella tightened the strap on her shoulder, mesmerized. "_So shut up, shut up, shut up! Don't want to hear it! Get out, get out, get out! Get out of my way!" _Gabriella grinned as the lead's singers eyes fell onto her. His cobalt, icy eyes sent a chilly chill through her. He narrowed his eyes at her, a look of recognition crossing them, she thought. But Gabriella didn't get a chance to confirm her guess, because he looked away. "_Step up, step up, step up! You'll never stop me. Nothing you say today is gonna bring me down!" _

When the song finished, everyone was cheering rather loudly and hollering. Gabriella wobbled to a stool and plopped down on it as the band called for a break.

"Gabriella Montez, right?"

Gabriella gasped, startled. She quickly spun in her chair to see he recognized her and was met with the icy blue orbs she'd seen on stage. He looked even hotter up close. He wore a tight V-neck with dark skinny jeans and black converse. His hair fell in awkward swirls around his matted forehead and he had a slight stubble sprinkled on his face. "Who are you?" Gabriella questioned, leaning closer to him, trying to see if she recognized him. A corner of his thins lips popped upwards. "Walking Disaster," he answered. Gabriella's eyebrows creased until she figured out he was talking about his band. "Oh! Yeah…you guys are awesome. But, no, I mean what's _your_ name? Not your band name."

He tilted his head to the side, still with a cocky grin itched onto his face. "So you don't remember me?" Gabriella rolled her eyes and went to turn back around, but he grabbed her arm, stopping her. "Troy Bolton. You know, the geeky kid from ninth grade?"

Gabriella looked at him closely before she jerked back, shocked. He wasn't the kid with pimples showering his face and a huge gap in his teeth with wide-rimmed glasses, wimpy arms and oily, curly hair. But she did remember the eyes. "Seriously? We thought you like, died or something. You've been gone since last year. What happened? What, you're a famous rock star, or something?"

"Not yet," he said, chuckling.

"And my God, you've gotten buff and your voice…it doesn't crack anymore." Gabriella smiled. "So, where have you been?"

"I ran away from home," he admitted easily. Gabriella licked her dry lips and sat up straight. "I always took you for the goody-two-shoes guy. What happened?"

"Crappy, alcoholic parents," Troy answered. "They're a bunch of bastards."

Gabriella whistled lowly. "Bastards, indeed. Well, so are mine. That's why I'm out at twelve in the morning with a bag full of clothes." Gabriella lifted the over-full bag and grinned crookedly. "Don't worry, you're not alone."

"What's up with your parents?" Troy asked. He called for the bartender to get him two drinks, who obliged without asking for ID. Gabriella pulled the sleeve of her long sleeve shirt up. Troy cringed as his eyes landed on the patch of skin that rose up. Red blisters stuck out of her arm like skyscrapers and her skin looked ready to peel. Troy could see the outline of the iron clearly. After a minute, Gabriella pulled her sleeve back down. She pulled her hair over one shoulder and turned so Troy would see the small, circular burns on the back of her neck. Troy was almost to tears at the sight. "You're…parents did that to you?" he asked, his voice wavering. Gabriella rolled her eyes. "No, I did," she said sarcastically. "That's not all. There's other cigarette burns and my back is a hideous disaster. I've got other bruises, but I'd rather not show them." The bartender returned with the drinks. Gabriella grabbed the liquid and gulped it all down in one. Without asking, she snagged Troy's alcohol and chugged that down as well. "I needed that." Gabriella stretched and winced slightly. "Anyway, after they hit me with a wire tonight, I fled," Gabriella told him.

"Why didn't you tell anyone? You have plenty of friends."

"So? It's not like they'd listen. Look, I gotta keep moving. Once my parents find out I'm gone and they find me, they'll seriously kill me." Gabriella leaned in closer, trying to block the fear from her eyes, but failing miserably. "Literally." Gabriella got up, ready to leave, but Troy grabbed her arm gently, being mindful at her bruises. Gabriella turned around and looked at him curiously. "What?"

"You can't go out there," he said. "Stay with me and the band. The club said that we can live upstairs if we play here every night. It's really cool, and I bet it's better than living in a shelter or whatever."

"I have money," Gabriella said. She narrowed her eyes and yanked her arm back. "But I'll give this to you for free," Troy said, smiling. "Come on, I won't kill you."

"That can't be determined just yet," Gabriella said. She sighed, shrugged, and then shoved her bag forward into Troy's hands. "Well, I'm tired, so take me to my bed." Troy stared at her for a moment before chuckling and shaking his head. "You sure? The party is still hyped up." Gabriella looked around her. Everyone was jumping and dancing to _Shots_ by LMFAO and it definitely was still hyped up. Gabriella shrugged her tiny shoulders and sat back down. "When do you get back up?" she asked.

"Ten minutes," Troy answered. "You want another drink?"

"Of course. I plan to get totally smashed tonight." Gabriella smirked. It was crooked, hiding the emotion swirling painfully inside her. Troy called for four powerful drinks and the bartender went to fetch them. "So, those covers or original songs?"

"Covers. We do bands like Sum 41 or The Dead Milkmen or Simple Plan. You know, stuff like that."

"Never heard of them."

Troy chuckled. "I thought so."

"But they sound like pretty great songs." The bartender returned with two bottles of Everclear and two Absinthe bottles. Troy thanked him and poured him and Gabriella a glass of each. "Drink up. Everclear will get you drunk after two cups."

Gabriella tilted her head back, held her nose, and chugged down the bittersweet taste of the alcohol. It burned the dry patch on her tongue and her throat as she swallowed it and her eyes squeezed tightly shut. She placed the glass back on the counter and shook her head. "That_ is _strong," she muttered. Troy poured her another glass, but left his empty. The only time he would allow himself to drink is after him and his band stop playing for the night, which would be soon. Gabriella chugged down three more glasses and Troy could tell she was drunk. Not tipsy, but drunk as hell. She giggled and grabbed the bottle by its neck. She brought it to her lips and swallowed it all. Troy watched, his eyes wide with astonishment. The bittersweet taste now toned down to the sweet taste of a lollipop. Gabriella collapsed against Troy, slurring words that he couldn't understand. "Oh, my God!" she laughed. "Is that..." She squinted her eyes at the blinding dancers. "Is that SpongeBob?" She burst out laughing again and sighed softly. "Troy...you're a good person, you know that? Hey, if that bouncer comes to get me, you won't let him, right? B'cause, if he don't catch me, I'm not a bad girl?"

Troy laughed. "Something like that..."

"So...when you going on?"

"Now." Troy leaned forward, brushed away the tresses of hair hanging in her face, and kissed her lips. It was daring, but her lips were tempting. Plus, by morning everything of tonight would be a blurry haze.

Gabriella leaned into him, clutching brown tendrils of hair tightly in her small hands. Their tongues were fighting, stroking, without passion, but with raw power and determination. Gabriella slipped from her seat and onto Troy's lap as her hands moved to his cheeks. He could taste the bitterness of the alcohol she consumed and sighed softly against her lips. Gabriella pulled back slightly and slipped his bottom lip between her teeth. The heat had increased by maybe fifty degrees. Their hands were roaming and it was as if they'd known each other for years. Troy gripped Gabriella's butt and pushed her against his groin, causing erotic moans and groans from both of them. "Don't." A kiss. "You have to." Another kiss, heated heavily. "Get on stage now?" Gabriella asked. They were panting, their heavy breaths mingling together when they pulled apart. Troy's eyes flickered between her's and her plump, bruised lips. He sighed, lifted her off of him, and walked to the stage.

Gabriella's shoulders deflated as her fun walked away from her. Damnit. She didn't want to get another boy. She loved Troy's lips on hers. So sweet. She grinned and gulped down another glass of Everclear from the other bottle.

"Are you guys ready to rock?" Troy called out into the microphone. They all cheered, crazed with adoration and love for the band. Gabriella lifted her arms, both hands occupied by the bottle of Everclear and a bottle of Absinthe. She screamed with the crowd, and threw in a drunken, "I love you!" Troy rolled his eyes and they started playing. Her arms dropped as the music took her by the limbs and dragged her into its soothing words.

"_I haven't been home for a while, I'm sure everything's the same. Mom and Dad both in denial, an only child to take the blame. Sorry, Mom but I don't miss you, Father's no name you deserve. I'm just a kid with no ambitions, wouldn't come home for the world. You'll never know what I've become, the king of all that's said and done. The forgotten son? This city's buried in defeat. I walk along these no name streets. Wave goodbye to all, as I fall..._" The tempo suddenly increases and the crowd is jumping and screaming to it. Gabriella felt her head reel and the alcohol float away. She was momentarily trapped in the deathly memories of her parents, of her sister getting shot in front of her with flame ablaze behind her. The bottles fell from her hands, shattering and scattering on the floor in a pool beneath her feet. She was shaking, trembling viciously. Even burn, ever hit, every nerve striking insult...all came hurtling forward in full rage. Her fingers gripped at the edges of the counter and breathing slowly became impossible. Her lungs felt clogged with smoke produced from her father's cigarette, from the fire, from the steam rising from the threatening iron. All the noise around her became a distant fuzz buzzing around in her ears. It was replaced by their screams, her screams. Gabriella's hands connected to her ears and she tried to block out the screams, the shots, the sizzling of fire, but it never went away.

It all shattered in her hands as she fell to the floor. Hands were gripping her, words were being thrown away, questions were being dropped. Gabriella whimpered, cried, sobbed. She hated weakness. She hated giving into its horrible abyss. But it was slowly puling her, dragging her in. The last thing she remembered before passing out was Troy's terrified scream of her name spilling from his lips. Then there was nothing but the soulless world to cradle her.

**Walking Disaster...**

"I think she's waking..." The voice was unfamiliar.

"Dude, shut the hell up!" That one was more familiar. Someone she knew...someone new, but old, too. Troy.

"You're the one who's yelling!" Another unfamiliar voice.

"I said shut up! She'll wake up." Troy again.

"I'm already up." Her voice sounded unfamiliar, like the other two boys. She inched up into her hands. Her muscles were stiff and sore and she felt like jelly. Her eyes squinted as she peered around the bright room. "Where am I?"

"Up stairs of the club," Troy said. He hands her over a cup and some pills and Gabriella swallowed them, muttering a small thanks, too. Finally, after collecting herself, she looked around at the faces. Troy. A dark-skinned, curly-haired boy. A boy with unruly chestnut hair and a nauseating smell. And the last one, silky dark hair and piercing blue eyes. "Who are you?" She directed her question to the three unknown boys. The throbbing in her head went away. She was always so good with hangovers.

"This is Lambordi," Troy announced, pointing to the blue eyed, black-haired boy. He grinned, a charming smile. "Lambordi is his last name. His first name is Ian." Gabriella nodded his way, not in the mood for smiling and looked at the boy who stunk. "Aaron. But we fall him Fizz because when he was ten, he put fizzy soda onto the back of his skateboard and launched off."

Fizz lifted his arm, showing a deadly scar, but also radiating a smell that could kill a whole nation. The boys were shouting at him to put his arm down. Fizz smirked and did so, but slowly. "Had to get fifty-six stitches," he informed Gabriella, who nodded wearily, still dizzy form the smell before.

"And this is Chad," Troy said, introducing the dark-skinned one. Chad smiled. "I don't have a nickname. But you can call me Sexy, if you'd like, because that's what you are." Troy's smile was weak. Nervous. "These are my band mates." More like bastard mates. Gabriella snorted unattractively and plopped back down on the bed. "Aw, sweetheart, we ain't that bad," Lambordi said, crawling in next to her. Gabriella jerked away from him and glared. "If you ever call me sweetheart again, I'll make sure your death is sweet." She cocked her head to the side. "And from my heart."

Lambordi smirked. "Alright, _sweetheart_."

"Don't get her roused up, man," Troy warned, pulling his friend back. Gabriella looked at him. "That's all, right? There's no more?"

"There's one more," Troy said hesitantly. Instantly, there was a long meow drawn out. Gabriella looked at the doorway that lead towards a room and her eyebrows rose when she saw the ugliest cat ever. Its fur was dirty and a dull gray. Its eye were orange, a dull orange, not a sunset orange. His whiskers were jagged and messed up. When their eyes connected, he hissed at her and Gabriella looked at Troy, her eyes silently asking him: Are you _crazy_? Troy smiled at her. "You hungry? I got sausages and bacon and eggs."

The cat instantly perked up at the sound of that. He walked over to Troy and rubbed his dirt fur against his pajama pants. "What's it's name?" Gabriella asked.

"Fluffy," Troy answered. "He's vicious. But that's what we love about him. He was here in the apartment when we came." Fluffy lifted his orange eyes on Gabriella and hissed. Gabriella rolled her eyes and inched out of the bed. "Sure, I'll have something."

"Don't worry," Fizz said. "Fluffy hates everyone except for Troy. Including me."

"I wonder why," Gabriella said sarcastically. A skunk that shot out its funk would probably rather live in a dumpster than live with Fizz. "Troy's the best cook, _sweetheart_," Chad said. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and Lambordi did the same, both of them smirking down at her. "Yeah, _sweetheart_. His sausages are to die for."

"Your _sausages_ are about to get cut off if you don't get the fuck off of me and shut the hell up," Gabriella threatened. Both Chad and Lambordi backed away from her and shut up. Gabriella smirked. Perfect.

The kitchen was a mess. Mildew and mold was collected on the counter. Grease was smeared around the cabinets. Dishes were dangerously piled up. The white floor was no longer white, but a murky brown. And the smell was downright _awful_. "Sorry for the mess," Troy said meekly.

"Mess? This is a dumpster." Gabriella's eyebrows rose and she rolled her eyes when none of them said anything. "How can you live here?"

"It's just temporary, anyway," Chad said. "We're runaways living in a club...they'll throw us out eventually when they get a better band."

"Despite your personalities and unhealthy living, you guys are awesome," Gabriella complimented...sort of.

"So, what happened last night?" Lambordi asked. "You passed out. Looked like you had a seizure, or somethin'."

Gabriella tried to recollect something, anything from last night, but found nothing. She shrugged. "I honestly don't know."

"You have to. You were screaming someone's name. What was it? Catnip?"

"No, it was Catkin," Chad corrected.

"No. It was Catlip," Fizz said.

"'Wasn't it Katwrist, or something?" Troy asked.

Gabriella knew what they were talking about. It wasn't Catnip. It wasn't Catkin. It wasn't Catlip. It wasn't Katwrist. No. It was _Katniss_. Katniss. Katniss. Katniss.

_Katniss. _

Her name was sizzling in her brain, collecting and scooping up memories. The fire. The shot. Their faces. Her face. Katniss's face. What was it like? Pain, torture, hopelessness? Maybe all. "Katniss," Gabriella whispered, the name slipping from her lips like slim. "No. Her name was Katniss. My sister."

"What kind of name is Kat-_niss_? Sounds stupid." Fizz said, laughing. Gabriella whirled around to him and kicked him hard in the shin. Fizz yelped and pulled his leg up, rubbing the forming bruise. Gabriella wasn't done, though. She pushed at his body and he fell to the floor, dazed. Gabriella plopped on top of him and angrily started throwing punches, pinching, slapping him. She didn't notice the smell. Troy grabbed hold of her body and lifted her off of him. She was breathing heavily, yelling words of fury and rage at Fizz. His face was bloody, damaged. It would probably need stitches. Good. That taught him not to talk about her sister like that.

She tried to break through Troy's grasp, to get to Fizz, but Troy locked her in place. "Gabriella! What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Her name isn't stupid! She wasn't stupid! She was perfect. She was an angle. She didn't deserve it." Gabriella stopped struggling and sagged in Troy's arms, tired and weary. Troy sunk to the floor with Gabriella as she cried into his shoulder. He rubbed her back and whispered soothing words into her ear.

Gabriella clutched at his white beater. "She was perfect. She didn't deserve it. Any of it. She was only ten..." She sniffled. "Let me go. I'm alright, I'm okay."

Troy stood them up and guided her to a chair. He sat her down on it and the boys all sat in the other chairs. They watched her carefully. Fizz held a bag of frozen peas to his face and sighed. "Jeez."

"So how she die?" Chad asked.

"First there was a fire," Gabriella said softly. "They started it on purpose. To kill us because they didn't want us..."

"_Katniss!" Gabriella stumbled down the stairs and into the thick cloud of smoke. She had pulled the bottom of her shirt up to cover her nose and block the deadly smoke from entering. "Katniss!" Her voice was muffled behind the cloth. Gabriella collapsed to the floor, her hair singed and shriveled and the back of her clothes burnt crisp. After the fire started and caught onto her back, she rolled wildly on the floor, trying to get it out. Fire was still flaming away on her pants leg, but she refused to think about herself. Only Katniss. Only her little ten-year-old sister. _

_Gabriella crawled on her hands and knees under the smoke and away from the fire. Pain was clawing at her body, trying to make her give up, but she fought. She crossed out getting out of here without her sister. That _wasn't_ an option. _

_Katniss's call was muffled and distant. Gabriella sped up, crawled as fast as she could. It was all she could do. She couldn't call for help. Though the firefighters were on their way, she couldn't call for help. _

_Katniss was huddled by the kitchen table. Her wide blue eyes were frantic and scared. Gabriella crawled to her and pulled her face into her shoulder. "Shh, Katniss," she said soothingly. "This is just a nightmare. It'll be over in a second. Come on. You have to work with me, okay?" Katniss's weak head nodded and they were on their feet, covering their noses and mouths and ramming through the smoke. When they were in the fresh air, free of the house, Gabriella didn't expect their parents to be there, matches in their hands. They collapsed to the grass, the house falling in flames behind them. "We were dreading your survival," their mom, Gina, hissed. She was drunk. Their father, Greg, had a cigarette in between his fingers and a gun in his hand. "C'mere, Katniss," he said. Katniss hugged Gabriella closer and whimpered. "Don't make me say it again, girl. C'mere." _

"_Leave her alone!" Gabriella shouted. "You've done enough. If you don't want us, leave. We're fine on our own." Greg snarled. He walked towards his daughter, yanked Gabriella up, making Katniss fall from her grasp. Katniss cried out for Gabriella and curled into a ball. Greg pressed his cigarette to Gabriella's neck and Gabriella's body arched, pain shooting from the place and buzzing down her body. "Stop!" Katniss begged. "Please!" _

_Greg brought the gun up to Gabriella's temple. "I don't want to shoot you, princess. You're too pretty. But you need to be punished." He chuckled, something evil. Vile. "See, you love Katniss. Nothing will make you squirm and cry more than her death." Greg held her tighter to his body and lifted the gun off her temple. Gabriella cried out when he pointed the gun to Katniss. "Say goodbye." _

"_No!" Gabriela thrashed in his arm and the shot went off. Time went still. Everything didn't make sense. Katniss was falling to the ground, dead, a hole where her heart should be. Gabriella felt lifeless. She sagged in Greg's arms and watched, tears streaming down her face as Gina pushed Katniss's body into the flames. Then they threw Gabriella into the van and sped off, without looking back at the angle that used to be called Katniss. _

"Wow, dramatic, much?" Lambordi snorted, not sympathetic at all. "Sweetheart, we all have problems. It's better off if she's dead anyway." Gabriella didn't have a weapon. She didn't reach for the dirty knives, but she had something equally as sharp. She reached over the table, as far as it would let her, and her nails were clawing at Lambordi's pretty face. Lambordi jerked back, mortified and harsh, foul words were exchanged. Troy held Gabriella back again, but this time hauled her back to the bed, pinning her down. Heat was rising in her body. "Feisty, aren't we, sweetheart?" Lambordi called out after her. It took most of his willpower not to come in after Gabriella.

"Fucking jerk!" Gabriella yelled. Troy held her arms down, with Chad's help. Lambordi was being held back by Fizz, who also had a the mark of Gabriella's violence on his face. "Fucking scumbag! She didn't deserve to die! She was only ten!"

"Gabriella! Gabriella! Gabriella, stop!" Gabriella brought her enraged eyes on Troy. He looked down at her, softness in his eyes, the exact opposite from his band mates and roommates. Gabriella suddenly was in tears again. "She didn't deserve to die...not then. They were so heartless...so horrible."

"I know. I know," Troy whispered, his breath caressing her cheek. "Calm down. It's okay."

"They're going to come for me next."

"You're safe here."

"Promise?" Gabriella looks at him. Her face black from mascara smudges, glossy eyes and tear-strained cheeks, red eyes and a running nose. She looked like a little kid. A lost one. A scared one. Troy nodded. "Promise." Chad patted Troy's shoulder and headed into the kitchen, muttering a goodbye. Gabriella swallowed and Troy wiped at her tears with the pad of his thumb. "Thank you," she whispered thinly.

"Of course." His breath puffs out onto her face. Gabriella's hand gently comes up to his cheek, caressing it. "I feel like I've been here before," she admitted sheepishly. "In front of you. So close."

"Maybe because we have been like this," Troy said softly. His voice was barely audible. They were moving in closer, their lips basically touching, but still. "We've known each other for a night," Gabriella reminded him.

"I've known you since sixth grade. We aren't strangers." Unlike yesterday, their lips touch sensually. Slowly. Passionate. Gabriella raised her other arm, wrapping them both around his neck while Troy's arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer to him. Their lips danced together, the feel of their hot skin pressed against each other was the feeling of joy.

Gabriella gasped and pulled back, her fingers immediately touching her lips. "That felt weird."

"You've been kissed before," Troy acknowledged.

"Of course. Just...kissing you is weird."

"So I'm weird?" Troy scoffs and gets up. Gabriella sighed and stood up, stopping him. "No. Kissing you felt different...in a good way, of course."

Troy turns his haughty smirk on her. "Really?"

"Okay, the cocky level in here is way too high," Gabriella said. But she smiled at him before slipping back in her bed. Well...someone's bed. "Hey, whose bed is this?"

Troy smirked. "Fizz's." He leaves the room, but not before he heard Gabriella scream and scramble from the bed.

**Walking Disaster...**

The boys had drove Fizz and Lambordi off to the hospital, leaving Gabriella alone to wander around. The apartment was actually bigger. There were three bedrooms. Troy and Lambordi shared, and Chad and Fizz shared now that Gabriella was here. There was a little living room and then there was a kitchen and one bathroom. Gabriella stripped her clothes off and stepped in the half-clean shower. The hot water felt good against her body, against her scars and wounds. Maybe if she'd stay long enough, they'd wash away. Down the drain. Never to return.

Thirty minutes later, she was out and slipping into one of Troy's button up shirts and a pair of his basketball shorts. She had other clothes in her bag, but she couldn't seem to find her bag...

"So bored," Gabriella said to no one, swinging her arms. She gave herself a tour again. She found a guitar in Troy and Lambordi's room. Gabriella closed the door and plopped on the bed, bringing the guitar with her. "_Will you count me in? I've been awake for a while now. You've got me feeling like a child now. 'Cause every time I see your bubbly face, I get the tingles in a silly place_." Gabriella's skilled fingers switched from chord to chord, strumming in a rhythm that warmed her heart. "_It starts in my toes, makes me crinkle my nose. Wherever it goes, I always know. That you make me smile, please stay for a while. Just take your time. Wherever you go_." Gabriella grinned and stopped playing. She still had it. After two years without it, she still had it. She was about to put the guitar back, when applause popped in her ear. She jerked away, almost falling off the bed as Fizz laughed. "Dude, you know how to play guitar?"

"And sing?" Chad quipped. Lambordi stayed to the side, an angry look on his face. Butterfly stitches lay stretched across his face. The same with Fizz, plus a few stitches. "That wasn't me," Gabriella tried to lie. Troy snorted and grabbed the guitar. "Auburn. Perfect Two. Go." Troy started to play. Gabriella was startled, but sung with the rhythm. "_You can be the peanut butter to my jelly. You can be the butterflies I feel in my belly. You can be the captain and I can be your first mate. You can be the chills that I feel on our first date. You can be the hero and I can be your side kick. You can be the tear that I cry if we ever split. You can be the rain from the cloud when it's stormin'. Or you can be the sun when it shines in the mornin'_." Troy stopped and so did Gabriella. She was confused for a moment. "Good. You're in the band now."

Now she was bemused. "Band? Oh, no, no, no. No. Nothing public. Plus, I don't show what I do."

"You'll raise our audience," Troy said. "We'll be able to stay here longer. I'm not going back on the streets. You can be lead singer."

"I said no!"

Troy sighed. "Fine. Okay. You hungry? We got you some McDonalds."

Lambordi tossed the greasy bag, well, more like darted it, and Gabriella caught it. She trailed her eyes over his face. The lines where her nails marked were swelled and ugly. She smirked. One last thing to feel not so cocky about. "Your face looks charming, sweetheart. It fits you. Ugly inside...and now ugly outside, as well." Lambordi lunged forward. Chad and Fizz immediately grabbed hold of one of his arms, holding him back. Gabriella laughed cynically and stood. "Go ahead. Hit me. I've been through it practically my whole life."

"You want me to pity you, sweetheart? Want me to be sad that you lost your sister and your parents treated you like shit? Well, I'm not. You deserved it. Because you're a bitch."

"Bitch?" Gabriella laughed again. Laced into it was a mixture of pain and torture. "Don't worry. My parents call me things _way_ beyond that." Gabriella started out the room, but before she left, Lambordi called, "You look hot in my clothes, sweetheart." Gabriella swore she almost gagged. She raced to the room that was hers for now and shut the door. She threw things around until she finally found her bag under the bed. She peeled off the clothes that she was sure was Troy's and reached into her bag for some of her clothes, but not before she caught a look at herself in the mirror. Scars and wounds marked her body, owned it. She shivered and traced the long, pulsing, bumpy line across her stomach that was there two days ago. She had angered them when she didn't finish the dishes. They hit her, tossed her around and stomped on her. Then they slashed at her back and stomach with the wire.

Gabriella turned and twisted her head so she could look at her back. It was longer, more noticeable. Also a few bruises from the belt. She'd had rather she died in that stupid fire than live with them.

The door opened and Gabriella screamed. She flew to the bed, tangling herself in the dirty covers. Troy yelped and slammed the door behind him as he left. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" she heard him yell over and over again. Gabriella sighed and buried her head in the pillows. They reeked of sweat and grime. Carefully, slowly, she stood and wrapped herself up in a blanket. "Come in."

Troy opened the door and walked in, his hand over his eyes. Gabriella winced. Was her body that scarred, that horrible and vile? Of course. No one would want to look at her. Even perverted boys like Lambordi or Chad. "You can...uncover your eyes." Gabriella wrapped her arms around her middle and tightened them there, feeling very self-conscience.

"I'm so sorry," he breathed, dropping his hand. "I...I didn't mean to come in without you...dressed."

Gabriella waved her hand and shook her head. "It's fine. Really."

"Uh..." Troy scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "You have a nice body."

"You don't have to lie. You saw the scars. I look like Frankenstein." Gabriella turned to look at herself in the mirror. Scars were slithering up past the blanket and some were noticeable on her arms. Her fingers delicately glided across the jagged and messed up skin where the iron sizzled her arm. She winced and dropped her hand, limp, at her side. "I look hideous."

"No you don't," Troy said. "You're beautiful. And I'm not lying, either. You try to hide the pain in layers of clothes, in a tough attitude and with anger and aggression. Right now though...you're beautiful." His words were sincere. Gabriella swallowed and met his eyes in the mirror. "Really?"

"Yeah. Really."

"I once went to school with a tank top and shorts. My scars showed. It was two weeks before the winter formal. I didn't get asked yet, until that day. A boy came up to me and asked if I wanted to go. I made the dumb mistake by saying yes. I bought a pretty white dress, shoes and a hair pin to match. I thought I looked flawless. I forgot about my scars and let them show. When I got there, to the dance, he and his friends were laughing at me, teasing me about my scars. I ran, barefoot, all the way home. I was humiliated, but people got past it eventually."

"So you're not Miss Popular?"

"Who told you that? I got friends, but doesn't everyone?"

"It's awful what they did to you."

"I was stupid to say yes to him."

"He was stupid to do that to you. You're beautiful."

"You just don't want me to punch you in your balls," Gabriella snickered.

"Can you show me some?" Troy asked quietly. Gabriella was startled. She looked down at her body covered with the blanket and looked back up at Troy. "I don't know..."

"Please? I want to see them. I won't laugh, I promise."

"O-okay. Just hold on." Troy turned and Gabriella dropped the blanket. She threw on some under wear, shorts and a training bra. Gabriella bit her lip and tugged up the bottom of the tank top. She took a deep breath. "Okay. I'm done." Troy turned and his breath hitched. Her skin was red with anger, marked by horrible, raw scars. "Tell me about them," Troy whispered.

"Why do you want to know anyway?" Gabriella resisted covering herself up. This is what she needed. She needed to show people. To try and get over it. Troy shrugged his shoulders. "I just want to. No one deserves it."

Gabriella sighed. "Maybe some other time, okay? I kind of want to slip into bed."

"Not hungry?" Troy held up the McDonalds bag she abandoned in the other room. Gabriella shook her head and sunk into her bed. Troy knew not to hover. He didn't like it when other people did so, so he nodded, respecting her wishes, and left. When he was back in his room, his fist was ramming into Lambordi's side. "Dude, what the hell is your problem?"

"She is. She's hot, but she's a bitch."

"That gives you no right to say that stuff about her."

"Did you not hear what she said about me? And you've known her for a night. Why do you care?"

"Because. It's horrible what happened to her." Troy shook his head. "If only you guys knew…"

"What, and you do?" Troy looked away, shielding his eyes.

"Hey, boss, let's practice," Fizz quipped.

"We can't leave Gabriella here by herself."

"Why not?" Fizz said. "I'm with Lambordi here." Troy was about to say something, but there was a knock on the door, interrupting them. Troy looked to the door, confused, before slowly creeping towards it and pulling it open. A girl stood there, with pretty blond hair, a nose job, and a flawless face and figure. Troy couldn't help but smirk. Gabriella Montez's best friend since birth. Sharpay Evans. Troy couldn't help but look over her outfit. Light pink top, hot pink skirt, pink heels. Yup, she was still the same pink-crazed girl from ninth grade. "Where's my best friend?" she snarled. And still the crazy bitch. Troy rose his eyebrows and leaned against the frame. "And how would you know where she was?"

"Duh," Sharpay exhaled, exasperated. "Her phone has a tracking device. Just in case something happened to her." Troy couldn't help to think that that 'Just in case something happened to her' mixed in with her abusive parents. "Uh, excuse me," Sharpay snapped. "Who are you anyway and why is Gabriella here?" Sharpay didn't wait for an explanation. She barged into the apartment. "Gabriella!"

Gabriella suddenly appeared, wearing a tank top over her bra now. "Shar? What the hell are you doing here?"

"What the hell are _you_ doing here?" Sharpay countered, pulling Gabriella into a hug. "I was worried, bitch. I hate you now." Sharpay pouted. Gabriella pulled back and smiled. "I love you, too. But anyway, I ran away."

"To live with strangers."

"Not exactly. I mean, three of them are total morons mixed with slobs and bastards…"

"She's talking about you three," Chad said. Gabriella rolled her eyes. "You remember Troy Bolton?" Gabriella tilted her head towards Troy. "That's him."

Sharpay looked back at Troy and gasped. "_He's_ Troy Bolton!" Troy rolled his eyes at the insult digging into her surprise. Gabriella rolled her eyes as well. "Yeah, that's Troy Bolton. We ran into each other and he gave me a place to stay."

"Gabs, you _know_ you can stay with me." Sharpay seemed hurt that Gabriella hadn't come to her first. Gabriella quickly explained. "That'd be the first place they look, Shar. And I'm not risking your safety to hold my own."

"Then we'll call the police like you should have already done!"

"No! Okay, no. I'm not calling them."

"And why not? They deserve it, Gabs. And you know it. They killed your sister and try to kill you so many times."

"Because what are they going to do? They're not going to erase the memories! They're not going to erase the pain! They're not going to bring her back!" Gabriella tried her hardest not to break down and cry. Sharpay gripped her by the shoulders and stared into her eyes. "Gabriella…she's gone. There was nothing you could do."

"There was _everything_ that I could do, Sharpay," Gabriella said. "I could've ran away with her. I could've kept her safe. But I didn't."

"Gabs, that wasn't your problem. It was theirs and they let you guys down."

"Literally," Lambordi coughed. Gabriella glared at him, her eyes like liquid tar. "Who are these people again?" Sharpay asked. Her nose scrunched at Fizz. "And what is that _ghastly _smell?"

"Fizz," Chad said. "He sticks 24/7, so don't worry."

"I get used to the insults," Fizz said lamely, and reaching up awkwardly to scratch his underarm. Sharoay's eyes widened and she took a step towards Gabriella.

"Shar, I'm sorry," Gabriella said. "I just can't risk your life like that."

"Call the police before it's too late," Sharpay begged. But Gabriella shook her head.

**Walking Disaster...**

"_We're not gonna be just apart of their game. We're not gonna be just the victims. They're taking our dreams and they tear them apart. Till everyone's the same. I've got no place to go. I've got no where to run. They love to watch me fall. They think they know it all! I'm a nightmare, a disaster! That's what they always said!I'm a lost cause, not a hero! But I'll make it on my own. I've gotta prove them wrong. Me against the world!_"

Once again, they've astounded Gabriella to no end. It was if they were telling their life stories, in a beuatiful piece. Though Gabriella was highly irritated with Fizz and Lambordi, they were really good. Lambordi was on the electrict guitar and Ffizz was pumping it up on the guitar, his wild hair flying around. Chad was on bass and Troy, of course, wad the magic. The lead singer. And somehow, Gabriella knew that the meaning of these lyrics had a deeper feeling than what he's showing.

Her head tilted to the side, her eyes narrowing as she watched him egt lost in the music. She brought the bitter liquid to her mouth and gulped it down. She wasn't planning on getting drunk so she settled for a small beer. "Hey, what's a cute girl like you doing out here?"

Gabriella whirled around, startled and was met by a guy. He was tall, his eyes a piercing blue, his hair dark and swirly and his body amazingly beautiful. Like Lambordi. Gabriella quirked an eyebrow. "What's it to you?" she asked. He smirked. "Just watching my brother perform."

Gabriella looked back at the stage. "Which one?"

"Electric," he answered coolly. "My name is Elijah. Or Eli. Whatever you want to call me."

"Ah," Gabriella said, bringing the drink back to her lips. She pruposely finished the can and then turned back to Elijah. "I'll tell you what," she said. "If you get me another drink, I'll dance with you."

He smiled. "Alright. I'll keep that in mind." He smiled, a smoothe, but creepy one, then walked off. Gabriella rolled her eyes and scurried off towards the bathroom. Stupid pig. They don't just look alike, but their brains are alike, as well. Gabriella was just about to enter the bathroom, and then she heard the musical voice of Troy leave. She turned, curious.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I've met this really cool person. She's a really decent singer and I'd like to welcome her to the stage. Miss Gabriella Montez." Gabriella's eyes widened. When Troy found her, the spotlight was then on her, like a ray from the sun. Her first instinct was to shake her head back and forth. Troy smirked. "Aw, come on, Gabriella. Just one song." People around her shouted words of encouragement and to make herself look like less of an idiot, she walked timidly on stage.

"You know Avril Lavinge, right? When You're Gone?" Troy asked silently to her. Gabriella nodded. "Yeah, of course."

"We're changing the key a bit."

"What are you dong?"

"Guitar. Get ready, alright?" Gabriella bit her lip and nodded. Shakily, her bones feeling like mush, she walked up to the mic. Troy got his acoustic guitar and Lambordi got his keyboard and then the music was suddenly coming on strong.

"_I always needed time on my own, I never thought I'd need you there when I cry. And the days feel like years when I'm alone. And the bed where you lie is made up on your side. When you walk away I count the steps that you take. Do you see how much I need you right now? When you're gone, the pieces of my heart are missing you. When you're gone, the face I came to know is missing too. When you're gone, the words I need to hear to always get me through the day and make it ok. I miss you_."

_I've never felt this way before. Everything that I do reminds me of you. And the clothes you left, they lie on the floor and they smell just like you, I love the things that you do. When you walk away I count the steps that you take. Do you see how much I need you right now? When you're gone, the pieces of my heart are missing you. When you're gone, the face I came to know is missing too. When you're gone, the words I need to hear to always get me through the day and make it ok. I miss you_."

_We were made for each other. Out here forever. I know we were, yeah. All I ever wanted was for you to know. Everything I'd do, I'd give my heart and soul. I can hardly breathe I need to feel you here with me, yeah. When you're gone, the pieces of my heart are missing you. When you're gone, the face I came to know is missing too. When you're gone, the words I need to hear to always get me through the day and make it ok. I miss you._"

There was a long, horrible moment of silence before the dazed crowd was roaring into applause. Gabriella leaned her head against the microphone, her breathing hard. She fel arms envelope her from behind and knew they belonged to Troy. He pressed his thin lips to the back of her neck and breathed deeply. "Good job, Brie."

Brie.

So beautiful.

And for some reason, she knew she was home.

* * *

><p>Alright. This was unexpected...I wasn't going to make this into a real story, it was just an idea, but as I started writing I just couldn't stop. This is the longest chapter I've ever written...Over 8,000 words. So, moving on, this is just a taste of this story. Because I have several other stories to work on, this one will always be the last to update. So, anyway, I hope you enjoyed. I don't like this so much, but, eh, what do I have to loose? Review, please. I'd love to ear what you all have to say. If I get nice feedback, I'll consider at leats TRYING to keep my muse up. But if not...I don't know. It'll be hard to write if no one likes it.<p>

Thanks!-Brittany


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